Though the idea behind dirigibles dates back as far as the 16th century, Count Zeppelin was the first to make airship travel possible. Zeppelin traveled quite a bit during his military service and began sketching out ideas in the late 19th century. In 1900, his ideas came to fruition on Lake Constance but the flight was unsuccessful. Kaiser Wilhelm II deemed him the "dumbest of the south Germans."

The man behind the machine: in his 78 years, Count Zeppelin went from a man who was ridiculed the Prussian Emperor to the pride of Germany. His ideas for a maneuverable airship were not initially well received but ultimately helped pave the way for transatlantic air travel. His biography has inspired a new musical, written by Ralph Sieger and Hans Dieter Schreeb.

After a crash in 1908, Count Zeppelin received a donation that made his dream of airships come true. Kaiser Wilhelm II changed his mind completely - and honored the man, calling him "the greatest German of the century." At the start of World War I, the airships were high in demand, being able to drop bombs from above. In London, floodlights were set up to ward against the night cruisers.

Although Count Zeppelin did not live to see the end of the war nor the boom time of his innovation, he appeared on postcards promoting airship travel to the German consumer. After the end of World War I, the reality of passenger travel by airship set in and these campaigns appealed to German national pride by promoting quick trips within the country.

An employee of Count Zeppelin and later his successor, Hugo Eckener, crossed the Atlantic for the first time in 1924. He's seen here in an undated photo looking out the airship's bottom-facing windows. The hydrogen-filled passenger airship flies much lower to the ground than an airliner. The highest flight made was Graf Zeppelin's around-the-world flight, which ascended to 1,700 m (5,500 ft).

Among the over 1,500 objects on permanent display at the Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen is the motor gondola from the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin. The LZ 127 flew over a million miles in its lifetime and is now on display at the museum dedicated to the history and technology of the rigid airship that took the name of Count Zeppelin - in German, Graf Zeppelin.

The most successful of the zeppelins, the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin had taken 590 trips between 1928 and 1937, when it was forcibly retired. Traveling over a million miles during its lifetime, the airship is seen here in 1936 alongside the LZ 129 Hindenburg, above Germany's capital city, Berlin.

Not all airships are alike; the German Zeppelin is considered a rigid airship, as it contains an aluminum frame that is wrapped with a thick canvas-like cloth. The rigid structure, as seen here on a blueprint from the Hindenburg, allowed for greater sizes and the ability to carry more passengers. The added space included room for sleeping and dining, making long-distance travel more appealing.

A replica of the Hindenburg on display at the Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen provides an insight into the spaciousness of the airships. Unlike modern-day passenger jets, which notoriously cram as many people into a small space as possible, the zeppelin made comfort its priority. There were often as many passengers as crew - 60 each - and the interiors drew on Bauhaus style for inspiration.

A transatlantic flight on a zeppelin was something only the wealthy could afford. As such, the ships catered to their desires, often with more crew members than passengers. The ill-fated Hindenburg, for example, had 61 crew members on board for just 36 passengers. Seen here is the dining room of the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin.

The airship's interior had to accommodate passengers' needs for the days-long flights. Passenger zeppelins of the 1930s offered privacy, with small rooms containing bunk beds and wash basins that allowed the airships to compete with ocean liners by traveling in comfort at a slightly faster speed. At its fastest, the Graf Zeppelin required 68 hours to go from Frankfurt to Recife, Brazil.

Constructed in 1931, the Empire State Building was built with a dirigible mast to allow for future passenger airships to dock there. The Hindenburg, which made numerous transatlantic flights between Germany and the US East Coast, is seen here above New York. Its fiery crash years later put an end to passenger airship service - and inspired Ralph Sieger for "Zeppelin: das Musical."

Near the start of World War II, a rigid airship crashed upon descent in Lakehurst, New Jersey, USA after a flight from Germany. Journalists on hand for the landing were met with the spectacular devastation of the Hindenburg exploding mid-air and its frame plummeting to earth. With 36 deaths and 61 survivors, the catastrophe put an end to the dream of zeppelin flights.

Although transatlantic passenger service ended in 1937 after the Hindenburg disaster, zeppelins still play a large role in German identity. Airships continue to fly with frequency over Lake Constance - though these are mainly short-range tourist excursions. The Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen draws annually thousands of visitors who want to learn about airship technology.

One of Germany's most famous Schlager hit makers, Ralph Siegel is perhaps best known for his work composing songs for Eurovision along with the 1982 Grand Prix winner. Now 71 years old, the producer and musician has turned his attention to musicals, including the new "Zeppelin: das Musical," inspired by Count Zeppelin's biography and the Hindenburg disaster of 1937.